Knuckle connection for automobile-wheels.



I N. c. MILLER.

KNUCKLE vCONNECTION FOR AUTOMOBILE WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED. MAIL-.221' 1913.

` 'ATTORNEY .NECEQLAS C. IJLLLEEJ,

KNUGEL'LE GHECTN STGR AUTGMQEELEYEES. maar@ specification of :teneis retenir.

tiene s, M9315.

Application :tiled March 22, it'i. Serial No. 756,255.

To all lwhom #may concern y Be it known that l, Nici-roms C. MILLER,

- a citizen of the United States, residing at Dodgeville, in the countyof iowa and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Knuckle Connection for Automobile- Wheels,.of which the following is a specification. 4

rhis invention has reference to' improvements in knuckleonnections for automobile wheels, and its" object is to provide al knuckle connection for automobile wheels which latter at the same time may constitute the drive'wheels of the vehicle and, furthermore, the invention is designed to providemeans whereby the transmission mechanism which because of the movements demanded of the vdrive wheels is of the universal type,

. maybe at all times bathed in lubricant,

Aes

without liability of such leakage as would cause soiling of the exterior parts.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a drive axle carrying the drive wheels and directly connected therewith, so that the drive wheels participate in the rotative movements of the axle, but these drive wheels are designed to have themovemeute usually imparted to steering wheels of automobiles, and therefore the drive axle is connected to the drive wheels through a joint which may have universal movements within therange usually'emplcyed fory steering thewheels. At the Sametime the connecting members permitting 'such universality of movementare housed in a, casing which. permits thel range of movement desired, but which; at the same time is ca able of carrying asup-ply of lubricant su cient to thoroi'lghly'bathe all the moving vparte',

and, by the employment of a suitable 'one ot the heavier lubricants, escape-of such lubricant from thecasing is prevented under practical conditions without 'interference with the range of movement desired.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the `following detailed description, taken in connection with the-accompanying drawings forming-'fa part v othis specification, with the fuitherfnnder standing that while `the drawings show a practical embodiment of the invention, the

` latter isnotecnnnedto any strict conformity with the showing of `the drawings but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention.

lin the drawings: Figure i is a central longitudinal section ci the knuckle connection between a drive axleand a combined drive and steering wheel, some parts being shown in elevation and some parts being breken away. Fig. 2 is as ection on the line 2f-2` of Fig. I. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the knuckle connection with the casing 'shown in section in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a section similar to that of Fig. 2 but looking in the opposite direction with all parts but the casing omitted. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. l and omitting the spokes of the wheel. Fig. Z is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. l.,

Referring to the drawings there is shown a 'shaft 1 terminating at one end in a yoke 9., the ends of the legs of which carry opposuitablemeans whereby the ring et may be mounted in the yoke 2.

Pinned to the ring 4 at diametrically opposite points and in substantially a hundred and veighty degree relation to the yoke 2 is another yoke 7, from which projects a stem 8 at times in line with the shaft l, and this stem terminates in a squared portion 9 and a threaded extension 10 in the same axial line, the said threaded portion 10 being designed toreceive a nut 11.

Mounted on the squared portion 9 is a hub 12 which may have a squared passage therethrough, and this hub is held to the shaft prolongation or stem 8 by the nut 11. The squared portion 9 is spaced from theyoke 7 for a suitable distance and the hub l2. is provided with a return overhang 131 of a length about vthat of the length of the shaft ongation 8, and this overhang is arico ranged in concentric relation to the prolongation 8. The overhang 13 is provided with an exterior circular series of pockets 14 closed at one end by a removable ringl, the pockets being designed to receive the butt ends of spokes 16 which may be taken as indicative of a suitable wheeh i the yoke end 'or y Surrounding the shaft-1 is a sleeve 17 which does not participate inthe rotative movements of the shaft`1 and vwhich constitutes an axle oit'l the vehicle,lsuch axle being in 'xed relation to the vehicle. Near shaft 1 the axle 17 is radially venlarged as shown at 1 8 to form a pocket for anti-friction rollers 1 9 surrounding the shaft 1 adjacent the lMil, and from the er'ilargeme'ntl 18 lthe axle is further expanded into a substantially semi-spherical portion 20 withinwhich the yoke 2 is lodged, and this yoke where itjoins the shaft 1 is provided w'itha radial shoulder 21 abutting against a 'ring 22 which with another ring 22 contines the rollers 19 in place. The

' enlarged' portion f the yoke adjacent'the 3 2, cient .from one side 'of :the slot '2Q-tothe other, V*but this slotis llong enoug'hf-tc permit the shaft extension 8 to swing lto' "one side or 'the other'o a prolongation of the llongitu wheel in steering. 1 .A y l.

`Immediately 4surroundin -theshaft ex;

shoulder 21 is providedvwith afperipheral groove 23. Attached to the 24 isformed withy a substantially longitu-V outstandingflange 30. Y

.The shaftextension 8 where it joins the yoke -ormed withlaradialshoulder 31 betweeniwhifch and thelegs of ythe 'yoke'the yoke is I'zprovided with aperipheral groove dinal slot or passage 29, surrounded by an diameter; tov 'extend approximately dinal axis of the'shaftr-l 'to-the desired extent to provide for f- .tension'S isa series of rol ers'33 andv sun roundingthese rollersis a .sleeve 34 con centric with the shaft extension '8 and bes tween which sleeve 34 and theinner wallof the overhan 13 thereis" another series of rollers 3 5. `ne'end of the sleeve 34 is sub- .'stantially coincident with the vinner end, of,

equatorial portion of the` semi-spherical enlargement 20 is a substan-- case.

the said yoke at this point beingof' suffithev movementl of the;

maaien the hub 12 where lodged on the squared end 9 65 of the shaft extension 8, while the other end of the sleeve 34 is thickened and radially extended, as indicated at36, being there formed with a'rabbet 37 receiving the flange and romthe enlarged portion 36 there extends a curved shield 38 conforming inv curvature or concentric with the hemispherical casing member 24. rlhe shield 38 terminates in diametrically opposite ears 39- traversed by cap screws 40 or other suitable devices made fast to the spherical casingv made up of the members 20 and 24 at the equatorial portion thereof, 'so that the shield 38 may move about the screws 40 as an axis in concentric 'relation to the sphericalcasing and in contact with the flange 30 whichv has'a. suilcient radiali extent to engage in the rabbet 37 and againstA theinner wall of the shield 38 to close the slot 29 even though the shield 38`move 'for a considerable distance to one side orthe other of the position of alinementwith theshaft extension 8.with the shaft-1. Since the shaft 8 and the hub overhang 13 move together while the sleeve '34 is stationary' so faras rotative movement iis concerned, the double concentric roller bearings 33.and 35 form antifriction supports-for the rotating parts.

arm 41, shown in Fig. 4, .may be formed on the shield 38 or-on any other suitable .part movable with the shield' and withthe wheel', -andlthisarm is designed for the attachment ofthe steering mechanism vof the vehicle', lvvhichjsteering mechanism may'A be' that customarily yemployed. and therefore needing no description or showing in this The -circumferential extent 'of the shield '38 and thel corresponding extent of theslot v29 is sulicient for .the steering movements withoutthe shield uncovering the slot and without the yoke 7 coming into. engagef mentwith the ends of the slot 29'. When. Y

`. theparts are in position andthe vehicle is moving straight ahead, the relation of these partsis substantially that shown in -Figl with the bolts 40 and pins 3 cnnectingthe yokes 2 and 7 with the ring 4 all in substan-` tially one' uprightv plane. .Under these cir'- cumstances the shafts 1 and 8 are in aline ment andthe yehicle under the rotationof the shaft 1 is driven straight aheadf:

lAn appropriate amount of lubricant isv introduced into the casing made up'ov the 'members 20 and 24 and as the openings lin' f this casing are quite tightly closed a heavy lubricant will not escape and in the case of`- may actually contact' with the outer edge' of. the: lange'30 while the grooves 23'and132 prevent to a lubricant.

Therollers lighter lubricants very little will escape; `The-slot 29 is covered by the shield 38'whicli large extent any creeping ofthe 33 and 35'v have end rings 22 l `like the rollers 19 and the nutllwhich may be locked tothe threaded extensiongloby a lco'tter pin 42 vmaybe protected by LaA cap 43 Y screwed-'on tof'the hub ,12.'wl1ieh is suitably shouldered aiifdthreaded Ifor tliepurpose.,v

(If vit 'be assumed 'that the shaft 1'1s.rotat' ing With'- the l extension '8 in 'aiinement l with it, then-power isf transmitted from `the shaft to the yoke ,2, ring 4',-yoke Tand 'shaftexl "tensi'onf8- to thehnb 12, 'and'by 4 the-latter' to' the overhang 13 and through the-spokes 16 to the rim of the wheel',' thus driving-thevehicle. If, now, it be desired-to direct the vehicle to-one Vside r'the otherofgthe straight.:

paththe shield 38 fis4 swung in theproper direction about thev bolts "40 which serve as pivotstherfor, and thev yoke 'wliere trav-- ersing the 'slot 29 will move lengthwise of the slot toa corresponding extent, thuscarrying the vshaft extension 8 with the wheel mount-l ed lthereon intoA acute angulary relation' to.- the longitudinal axis of the shaft'l." However, this does vnot interfere with tlhetrans-` mission of power because of. the' universal joint connectionjdue to the presence of the"4 yokes2 and 71 and *the ring. 4; f. This swinging movement isnot participated in by, thev sub-1 stantially -globular `three' part casing which remains vin fixed relation' to the hollow axle'17. .v y.

The present invention provides a very simple knuckle joint between the axle Iand the .steering wheelandfat-the lsame time a' 'very simple knuckle joint .of the universal l typebetween thedrive shaft andthe same'v wheel, the shaft extending through the axle,- wlile all the parts not provided with rollerbearings are effectively bathed in lubricant atall times, the casing forming a tight receptacle for lubricant up to a certain' height and a-suiii'ciently' tight receptacle forl the stiffer types of lubricant of the semi-greaseform to prevent leakage thereof where packing is not present, it 'being found in practice that-engaging metal surfaces are substantially'. tight 'for such lubricants'. The-over` 'hangl has thel edge remote fromthejhub 12 and` indicated at 44 in suhcientlyfclose relation to the corresponding portion of the outer surface of the shield or hood 38 to pre` -vent any material leakage of lubricant at this point, 'whilethe adjacent rings 22 may be suitably formed to actas dust guards-at this point;y

bath of lubricant lfor the connections'v be-f The whole device is readily lconstructed along the lines which permit the use of a tween the drive shaft and the wheel mount! ing andwhich `will retain'the lubricant and at the same time lprevent'the entrance of -clust do harm.

I vWhat is claimedi's 1.' Ina combined .driving and steering mechanism. fo r vehicles, a drive shaft, a

drivenmember, driving'connections between the drive shaft and the driven member perordirtintothe interior parts where-it mightmitting Vlnovemnts ofl the driven member out of alinement, with'. thedrive shaft, a;

fixed casing' receiving thel driving connecf tions and provided in 'its outerportion with a horizontal velongated slot for-the driven f member -and' havingffan outwardly proj ecting marginal .Hange--at the said slot,said cas-y ing being otherwise;- completelyclosed so as to entirely inclose the dri-ving connections,l ag

'v curved shield pivoted at' its'inner edge to the said casing andvmovable over the exterior thereof, Vsaid shield being of a size to cover A'the slot and presenting a curved face to the outer marginal flange and supported by'the same, and a wheelmounted for rotation on the outer portion of the shield and located beyond'the'vertical planeof the, casing and the driving connections, said 'wheel being f connected with .thel driven member.

52..' In 'a combined driving and steering mechanism Y' for vehicles, driven member, .driving connections between the lrivesha'ftf and the driven member permittlng movementsof the drivenmember out'of alinement. With'the drivesl1aft,.an axle,

driving connectionsand,composed o a sub= outer section thereof-and being of. asize to cover. the slot in the' out-of alinement osi" tions of the drivenmember, said shield aving afbe'aring'against the. outer section atv the walls of the slot, anda wheel mounted for rotation' .on the Outer prtion ofthe iii() shield beyond-tl1e vertical plane of theicasa drive shaft, a'

v a substantially spherical casing receiving the ingand the drivin connections, said'wheel'- being connected wit the driven nner'nber.,

'ln testimony, that l 'claim ythe foregoing as my'own, I have hereto aiiixed ture inthe presence of two wltnesses.

N icHoLAs c. MILLER.

yWitnesses:

ARTHUR STRONG, l H40. STRONG.

mysig'naf 

